Black Bears Maul Burke With Eight Sacks

October 20, 2002|By Craig Barnes Staff Writer

MIAMI — The theme is a recurring one for Florida International's first-year football team and its freshman quarterback, Jamie Burke.

When the Golden Panthers play clearly superior talent, the offense simply isn't ready to compete, and the case was no different in Saturday's 33-7 loss to No. 8 Maine before a crowd of 5,330 at FIU Stadium.

The offensive line, just as it did in losses to Bethune-Cookman and Western Kentucky, had trouble handling pressure and providing Burke, who is still trying to adjust to the game's speed, the necessary time.

It led to him being sacked eight times (64 yards) by Maine's defense, ranked No. 4 nationally, and he threw for only 106 yards (9 of 18) with two interceptions. In the three most recent losses, the Golden Panthers have generated only 342 yards of offense, 209 of those against the Black Bears (7-1).

"I haven't been able to get comfortable," Burke said. "I'm thinking too much. Too many things are happening too fast, and it's causing me to miss basic and important things that I should see. I'm getting better, but when we play teams like this one, I see how far I have to go."

Burke, in the three games, has thrown for 265 yards (23 of 50) with seven interceptions. He has been sacked 27 times (203 yards).

"We are way too soft on offense," coach Don Strock said. "We had no time. I would see guys wide open downfield, and the quarterback would be on his back.

"I don't know when the light bulb is going to go on. Practice speed is one thing, but game speed is entirely something else."

FIU (3-4) made some switches in the offensive line in hopes of providing Burke better protection, but it did little good. Victor Cernius moved from right guard to center, and D.J. O'Neal started at right guard with Tim Dierks at right tackle.

The Golden Panthers' first possession was at Maine's 48. Five possessions later, they started at the FIU 10. Their initial first down was on a pass interference penalty with 9:35 left in the first half.

On the second possession of the second half, Tori Robinson ripped off a 42-yard run to the Maine 17. He fumbled on the next play, and Stephen Cooper recovered. It was similar to how the game went.

"When we had a big play to put us in position, we fumbled on the next play," Strock said.

Finally, with 1:40 remaining and David Tabor at quarterback, the Golden Panthers went 68 yards to score on Robinson's 1-yard run. Tabor's 54-yard pass to Cory McKinney set it up.